Touch That!, Vol. 5

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Each book in the "Let's start! Science" series about the senses starts the same way—there is an introduction to our five senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch). Hewitt then focuses on the particular sense noted in the title. Her colorful examples feature kids and they are ones that kids can easily relate to. Touch lets you know whether something is hard or soft, hot or cold and what hurts. Your skin contains tiny sensors that send messages to the brain about what you are touching. The more sensitive parts of the body are the lips, tongue, fingers and toes. The activities manage to impart lessons painlessly and kids should have fun using their toes to touch objects. A very hard touch like a pinch could give you a bruise. Every few pages there are activities to reinforce the learning such as an easy experiment kids can perform to determine what might be painful. Pain protects us from further danger because the brain sends a warning so that you will move away. You also remember things that have hurt you. Questions throughout the text encourage thinking and discussion. The book closes with another series of activities, a short glossary, index and a full-page note for teachers and parents with advice about other activities that can teach children even more about smell. A really good choice for home or classroom and as noted on the cover "an exciting way to learn about your senses." Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot